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Introduction: The detection rate of tuberculosis may have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the new reality and habits created to combat the pandemic. Background: To analyze the incidence of tuberculosis in Brazil during the years 2018 to 2020;comparing the detection rate during this period in general and vulnerable populations. Methods: Data on the incidence of tuberculosis in the years 2018, 2019, and 2020 were collected from the Registry of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, taking into account the distribution by age, sex, and affiliation to vulnerable groups such as homeless people, inmates, health professionals and immigrants. Results: The overall number of new tuberculosis cases in 2020 was lower than in 2018 and 2019. There was no difference in the percentage of men and women or between age groups. The incidence of tuberculosis among people belonging to vulnerable groups remained the same in 2020 as in 2018 and 2019. Conclusion: New cases of tuberculosis decreased equally in all segments of the population studied during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Objective To evaluate the incidence of COVID-19 and its main outcomes in rheumatic disease (RD) patients on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) compared to household cohabitants (HC).Methods This is a 24-week nationwide prospective multi-centre cohort with a control group without RD and not using HCQ. All participants were monitored through scheduled phone interviews performed by health professionals. Details regarding COVID-19 symptoms, and epidemiological, clinical, and demographic data were recorded on a specific web-based platform. COVID-19 was defined according to the Brazilian Ministry of Health criteria and classified as mild, moderate or severe.Results A total of 9,585 participants, 5,164 (53.9%) RD patients on HCQ and 4,421 (46.1%) HC were enrolled from March 29th, 2020 to September 30th, 2020, according to the eligibility criteria. COVID-19 confirmed cases were higher in RD patients than in cohabitants [728 (14.1%) vs. 427 (9.7%), p<0.001] in a 24-week follow-up. However, there was no significant difference regarding outcomes related to moderate/ severe COVID-19 (7.1% and 7.3%, respectively, p=0.896). After multiple adjustments, risk factors associated with hospitalisation were age over 65 (HR=4.5;95%CI 1.35-15.04, p=0.014) and cardiopathy (HR=2.57;95%CI 1.12-5.91, p=0.026). The final survival analysis demonstrated the probability of dying in 180 days after a COVID-19 diagnosis was significantly higher in patients over 65 years (HR=20.8;95%CI 4.5-96.1) and with 2 or more comorbidities (HR=10.8;95%CI 1.1-107.9 and HR=24.8;95%CI 2.5-249.3, p=0.006, respectively).Conclusion Although RD patients have had a higher COVID-19 incidence than individuals from the same epidemiological background, the COVID-19 severity was related to traditional risk factors, particularly multiple comorbidities and age, and not to underlying RD and HCQ.
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Objectives: The engagement of undergraduate medical students (MS) in clinical research may lead to improvement in scientific method critical analysis, better performance as young physicians, awareness of innovation, and the development of leadership skills and teamwork perspectives (1). This study evaluated changings in daily routine and the awareness of patients' realities reported by MS participating on a research project involving rheumatic patients in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A secondary analysis of a web-based cross-sectional survey (2) including MS participating of Mário Pinotti II study (MPII) (3) was performed. Demographic characterization and the description of the MS impressions of the impact of participating of MPII are reported. Results: A total of 228 (58%) MS involved in MPII responded to the survey: 151 (66%) were women with (Mean(SD)) 22.8 (2.8) years of age, most were studying in public (N = 135 (59%)) medical schools, from 10 Brazilian states. Figures 1 and 2 summarizeMS' reports on the impact of participating of MPII on their daily routine and increased awareness of patient's realities. Conclusion: MS participating on the MPII study reported a better understanding of rheumatic patients' fears and uncertainties during the COVID-19 pandemic, including hydroxychloroquine shortage, lack of medical appointments and an unmet need related to more adequate information addressed to the rheumatic diseases. Furthermore, the close interaction among rheumatic patients, faculty, rheumatologists, and otherMShave provided a significant improvement in their feelings of usefulness during the pandemic and could contribute to their future professional activities.
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Background: The role of chronic use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in rheumatic disease (RD) patients during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still subject of discussion. Objectives: To compare the occurrence of COVID-19 and its outcomes between RD patients on HCQ use with individuals from the same household not taking the drug during community viral transmission in an observational prospective multicenter study in Brazil. Methods: Participants were enrolled and monitored through 24-week (From March 29th to Sep 30th, 2020) regularly scheduled phone calls performed by trained medical professionals. Epidemiological and demographic data, as well as RD disease activity status and current treatment data, specific information about COVID-19, hospitalization, need for intensive care, and death was recorded in both groups and stored in the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) database. COVID-19 was defined according to the Brazilian Ministry of Health (BMH) criteria. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM-SPSS v.20.0 software. Group comparisons were made using the Man-Whitney, Chi-Square and Fisher Exact Test, as well as multivariate regression models adjusted to confounders. Survival curves were performed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: A total of 10,427 participants mean age (SD) of 44.04 (14.98) years were enrolled, including 6004 (57.6%) rheumatic disease patients, of whom 70.8% had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 6.7% rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 4% primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), 1.8% mixed connective tissue disease (DMTC), 1% systemic sclerosis (SSc) and others (15.9), including overlap syndromes. In total, 1,132 (10.8%) participants fulfilled criteria for COVID-19, being 6.7% RD patients and 4.1% controls (p=0.002). A recent influenza vaccination had a protective role (p<0.001). Moderate and severe COVID-19 included the need for hospitalization, intensive care, mechanical ventilation or death. Infection severity was not different between groups (p=0.391) (Table 1). After adjustments for multiple confounders, the main risk factors significantly associated with COVID-19 were higher education level (OR=1.29 95%CI 1.05-1.59), being healthcare professionals (OR=1.91;95%CI 1.45-2.53), presence of two comorbidities (OR=1.31;95%CI 1.01-1.66) and three or more comorbidities associated (OR=1.69;95%CI 1.23-2.32). Interestingly, age ≥=65 years (OR=0.20;95%CI 0.11-0.34) was negatively associated. Regarding RD, the risk factors associated with COVID-19 diagnosys were SLE (OR= 2.37;95%CI 1.92-293), SSc (OR=2.25;95%CI 1.05-4.83) and rituximab use (OR=1.92;95%CI 1.13-3.26). In addition, age ≥=65 years (OR=5.47;95%CI 1.7-19.4) and heart disease (OR=2.60;95%CI 1.06-6.38) were associated with hospitalization. Seven female RD patients died, six with SLE and one with pSS, and the presence of two or more comorbidities were associated with higher mortality rate. Conclusion: Chronic HCQ use did not prevent COVID-19 in RD compared to their household cohabitants. Health care profession, presence of comorbidities LES, SSc and rituximab were identified as main risk factors for COVID-19 and aging and heart disease as higher risk for hospitalization. Our data suggest these outcomes could be considered to manage them in clinical practice.
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Background: Mental health was widely affected during the new coronavirus pandemic. In addition, some measures adopted by most countries in order to contain the virus spread, such as isolation and social distancing, leading to the interruption of routine activities, including partial or complete interruption of face-to-face classes may be associated with increased stress, depression and anxiety among undergraduate medical students (1). From March to September, 2020, the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology carried out the Mario Pinotti II Project (MPII), a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study designed to monitor the COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disease on hydroxychloroquine, using periodic telephone calls performed by undergraduate medical students (2). Objectives: To compare the mental health status of medical students who were participating from the MPII with theirs colleagues not involved in this project. Methods: A web-based survey via google forms platform was developed by a panel composed of undergraduate medical students, rheumatologists, medical school professors, and a psychology professor. It included details on demographic and life habits data and domains regarding depression, anxiety and stress, using the DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety & Stress Scale), Brazilian version. Data collection occurred from July 20th to August 31st, 2020. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS version 20.0. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis were performed to verify associations with the DASS-21, defined as dependent variable. A p-value < 0.05 was deemed as significant. This study was approved by the Institutional Research Ethics Committee. Results: A total of 684 undergraduate medical students were included in this study, of whom 228 as MPII volunteers (VG) and 456 as control group (CG). Median age was 23 years (IQ 21-24) and the CG was older than the VG (p<0.03). Most of them were white (68.8%) and women (63%). There were no significant differences regarding comorbidities, ethnicity, smoking status, alcohol intake and physical activity. Older age, male gender, participation of MPII study, absence of a worsening in sleep pattern during the pandemic and a lower number of prior comorbidities were associated with lower DASS21 scores, suggesting a better mental health (Table 1). Conclusion: Several aspects may be involved with mental health, including increased emotional maturity, gender and sleep pattern. Although with marginal independent association, medical students with participation in the MPII study had better mental health than their student colleagues not engaged with this research. Our data pointed out that voluntary participation in a research project which foresees interaction by telephone contact with rheumatic patients, professors, rheumatologists, and colleagues is associated with better mental health.
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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence of COVID-19 and its main outcomes in rheumatic disease (RD) patients on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) compared to household cohabitants (HC). METHODS: This is a 24-week nationwide prospective multi-centre cohort with a control group without RD and not using HCQ. All participants were monitored through scheduled phone interviews performed by health professionals. Details regarding COVID-19 symptoms, and epidemiological, clinical, and demographic data were recorded on a specific web-based platform. COVID-19 was defined according to the Brazilian Ministry of Health criteria and classified as mild, moderate or severe. RESULTS: A total of 9,585 participants, 5,164 (53.9%) RD patients on HCQ and 4,421 (46.1%) HC were enrolled from March 29th, 2020 to September 30th, 2020, according to the eligibility criteria. COVID-19 confirmed cases were higher in RD patients than in cohabitants [728 (14.1%) vs. 427 (9.7%), p<0.001] in a 24-week follow-up. However, there was no significant difference regarding outcomes related to moderate/ severe COVID-19 (7.1% and 7.3%, respectively, p=0.896). After multiple adjustments, risk factors associated with hospitalisation were age over 65 (HR=4.5;95%CI 1.35-15.04, p=0.014) and cardiopathy (HR=2.57;95%CI 1.12-5.91, p=0.026). The final survival analysis demonstrated the probability of dying in 180 days after a COVID-19 diagnosis was significantly higher in patients over 65 years (HR=20.8;95%CI 4.5-96.1) and with 2 or more comorbidities (HR=10.8;95%CI 1.1-107.9 and HR=24.8;95%CI 2.5-249.3, p=0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although RD patients have had a higher COVID-19 incidence than individuals from the same epidemiological background, the COVID-19 severity was related to traditional risk factors, particularly multiple comorbidities and age, and not to underlying RD and HCQ.